Arthur Jones

Who was Arthur Jones?

Arthur Owen Jones, was a cricketer, noted as an all-rounder.

He was born in Shelton, Nottinghamshire, and educated at Bedford Modern School and Jesus College, Cambridge. He played for Cambridge University, Nottinghamshire, London County and England. Jones was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1900.

Jones was a brilliant, sometimes impetuous, opening batsman and a leg-break and googly bowler. In 1903 he made what was then the highest-ever score by a Nottinghamshire batsman, scoring an unbeaten 296 against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Jones played 12 Test matches for England, but lost the two games he captained. He led Nottinghamshire to the County Championship in 1907 and was captain of the 1907/08 England tour to Australia. But he only appeared in two matches because of illness. He remained captain of Nottinghamshire until a few months before his death from tuberculosis, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.